Notre Dame Calling: Voices NZ Singing In Paris & London Including First Te Reo Māori Work Commissioned By BBC Singers

On the heels of the New Zealand Youth Choir winning Choir of the World earlier this year, the country’s premier chamber choir, Voices New Zealand directed by Dr Karen Grylls, is off on tour to sing in Örebro and Stockholm in Sweden, Hamburg in Germany and two performances at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France. The 24-member chamber choir’s international tour will culminate in London in a concert with the BBC Singers whose new commission, Ranginui by 25-year-old Aucklander Takerei Komene, will premiere at St Martin’s in the Field in Trafalgar Square. Ranginui is the first composition in Te Reo Māori commissioned by the BBC Singers and Takerei, who also sings bass in Voices, says, “I’m in utter disbelief that I’ve had the opportunity to write this piece”.

Takerei says: “It’s a different experience to compose in Te Reo, especially because it’s a language I’m still actively learning. To my ear, Te Reo is more percussive as a language than, say, Latin or French, and while I was writing Ranginui, I had haka going on in my head. It’s been an amazing challenge and (this being the BBC Singers’ first Te Reo commission) it’s one I wanted to do justice to.”

The BBC Singers recently celebrated another milestone – its centenary. Founded in 1924, the choir is based at the BBC’s Maida Vale studios where Voices NZ will rehearse prior to the joint London concert on 14 November. A national choirs alumnus who’s sure to be in the audience is former What Now? presenter Charles Pānapa. Charles was in the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir from 1998–2000 and the New Zealand Youth Choir from 2002–2004. Originally from Kihikihi, Charles has lived in London since 2011 and is a member of Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club, acting as an ambassador for Aotearoa in the UK and Europe.

It’s also hugely significant that the international tour marks the last for esteemed music director Dr Karen Grylls (CNZ), who founded Voices in 1998. Karen last year announced that 2024 would be her final year as Artistic Director for Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand (CANZ) as she signalled a shift to a new role as Artistic Director Emerita. Karen has been involved with the national choirs since 1989 when she was appointed director of NZ Youth Choir.

Karen’s tenure as Voices NZ’s music director comes to an end following the choir’s return home from tour, when: “It will be time to hand over the reins,” Karen says, “It’s been a privilege”. Karen Grylls and Voices NZ perform in Stockholm on 1st and 2nd November, Örebro on the 3rd, Hamburg on the 6th and 7th of November, Paris on the 9th and 10th and London, with the BBC Singers, on the 14th of November. See the full schedule here ( https://www.voicesnz.com/event/voices-new-zealand-international-tour-2025/) and donate here (https://nz.patronbase.com/_VoicesNZ/Products/Donate) to support Voices on tour.

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